Vacuum cleaner

ABSTRACT

The vacuum cleaner includes a vibration generator for removing the dust attached to the filter cloth, said vibration generator producing vibration through the utilization of the suction force of the vacuum cleaner itself.

United States Patent [1 1 Deguchi et a1. [4 Jan. 9, 1973 .[54] VACUUMCLEANER [58] Field of Search ..55/288, 300, 304, 305, 467, [75]Inventors: Yutaka Deguchi; Hideo Kashihara; 55/470'471472'482;15/327 ERikuzo Koozuki; Kazuyoshi 4 Takahashi; Mitsuyuki Ikeda, all of [56]Remems c'ted Hyogo, Japan UNITED STATES PATENTS Assignee= Sanyo ElectricOsaka 3,458,892 8/1969 Kobayashi et a1.. ..15/327 E Japan 3,591,8887/1971 Chuji Takeda et al. ..55/300 Filed: March 1971 3,618,300 11/1971Pausch ..55/300 [21] Appl. No.: 125,696 Primary ExaminerBernard NozickAttorney-Darby & Darby [30] Foreign Application Priority Data [57]ABSTRACT March 20, Japan The vacuu c aner c s a ib at gene at for March1970 Japan "45/44642 removing the dust attached to the filter cloth,said March 20, Japan vibration generator p i g vibration through theut'l' ation of th uction f0 cc of the va um cleane 52 us. C1. ..55/300,15/327 E, 55/304, y 6 S r r 1 55/472, 55/482 [51] Int. Cl. ..B0ld 46/046 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJAN 9 ms 3,708,962

SHEET 2 [1F 3 1 VACUUM CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Thisinvention relates to a new and improved vacuum cleaner and moreparticularly to a vacuum cleaner having an improved vibration generatorfor removing dust remaining attached to the filter cloth.

Conventionally, the dust sticking to the filter cloth has been removedtherefrom by brushing the cloth surface, or by lightly beating the clothwith a rod, or by swinging the filter cloth to hit something. Thismanner of dust removal from the filter cloth is not only troublesomerequiring the application of external force against the filter cloth,but is also unsanitary resultin in soiling of the operators hands.

An attempt has been made to provide an electromagnetically operablevibrator to engage the surface of the filter cloth. This device forremoving the dust from the filter cloth is disadvantageous in thatvibration sound is unpleasantly high. Accordingly, this electromagneti+cally operable vibrator has not been able to find its usefulness forhousehold vacuum cleaners which are generally of smaller types.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improvedmeans for removing the dust at-- tached to thefilter cloth of a vacuumcleaner, in which vibration applied to the filtercloth for removing thedust is generated by a power drive and through the utilization of thesuction force of the vacuum cleaner itself.

A another object of the invention is to provide an improved vacuumcleaner which includes two suction air flow systems before the motor fanunit: one for filtering the dust and the other for generating vibrationwhich is to be transmitted to the filter cloth for removing the dusttherefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new device in whichwhen the suction flow system is connected to the vibration generatorside, the motor fan unit can automatically initiate to produce aviolent'suction force for generating vibration which is in turntransmitted to the filter cloth.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved vacuumcleaner in which a dust collecting case having filter means andvibration generator is detachable from the body including a motor fanunit therein and in turn the combined unit of filter means and vibrationgenerator is detachable from the dust collecting case in such a mannerthat the dust collected in the case can be prevented from droppingthrough any suction inlet formed in the dust collecting case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The vacuum cleaner according to the inventionincludes, in a housing, a motor fan unit, a dust collecting chamberhaving filter means and an improved vibration generator for impartingvibration to said filter means. The improved vibration generatorcomprises a ball, a circular passage whose periphery forms a raceway forthe ball, an air inlet passage connected to said circular passage andextending towards a suction inlet of the housing, and an air outletpassage connected to said circular passage and extending towards thesuction side of the motor fan unit. Each of the inlet and outletpassages of the vibration generator includes an extensible bellows as apart thereof.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, manually operablechange-over means is provided for communicating the suction side of themotor fan unit selectively to filter means of the dust collectingchamber and to the outlet passage of the vibration generator change-overmeans may preferably be interconnected with an electrical switch whichis inserted in a short circuit for energizing said motor fan unit.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the vacuum cleaner comprises abody including a motor fan unit and a dust collecting case detachablyconnected to the body. The dust collecting case includes filter means,vibration generator for imparting vibration to said-filter means and asupport frame for supporting said filter means and vibration generator.The support frame is detachably mounted within said dust collectingcase. The vibration generator comprises a ball, a circular passage whoseperiphery forms a raceway for said ball, an air inlet passage connectedto said circular passage and an outlet passage connected to saidcircular passage. The inlet and outlet passages are capable tocommunicate with a suction inlet of said dust collecting case and thesuction side of said motor fan unit of said body, respectively. The dustcollecting case may further include a valve opening engageable with theend of the inlet passage of the vibration generator. The valve openingis communicated with the suction inlet of the dust collecting case andhas a normally closed valve which can only be opened during engagementof the inlet passage of the vibration generator with the valve opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be fully understoodfrom the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly cut off and partly in section,of a vacuum cleaner embodying the present invention, showing the statein which the dust collecting case is connected to the body;

' FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the dust collecting caseillustrated in FIG. 1, showing the state in which-the combined unit offilter means and vibration generator is being detached from the dustcollecting case; I

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the vibration generator illustrator in FIGS. 1and 2; 1

FIG. 4 is a section taken on broken line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a section, onan enlarged scale, taken on broken line;55 ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a wiring diagram showing the electrical circuit for energizingthe motor fan illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is another embodiment of the electrical circuit for energizingthe motor fan illustrated in FIG. 1; and I FIG. 8 is a perspective view,on an enlarged scale, of the front end of the air inlet passage of thevibration generator illustrated in FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS cordance with the presentinvention. The vacuum cleaner illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a cleanerbody 11 and a dust collecting case 12 detachably connected to thecleaner body 11. The body 11 and the dust collecting case 12 cooperatewith each other. to form a complete housing generally indicated by thereference numeral 23. i

The body 11 maybe preferably be of a hollow cylindrical configuration orsquare prism and includes therein a motor fan unit 24 which is locatedimmediately behind an inlet opening 25 formed in the front end wall 26of the body 11. The body 11 has also a discharge outlet (not shown) inthe down stream of the motor fan unit 24,'preferably, at the rear end ofthe body 11.

The dust collecting case 12 which defines a dust collecting chamber isdetachably secured to the body 1 1 at the front end thereof. The dustcollecting case 12 is formed as an independent unit and comprises alaterally extending cylinder having an opening 27 (FIG.

deposit the vibration generator 40 thereon and is pro-' vided at itsbottom surface with a plurality of longitudinally extending legs 47which are in turn engageable with the corrugated filter cloth 36.

The inlet 43 and the outlet 44 of the vibration generator40 areconnected by flexible tubes or elastic bellows 51 and 52 to conduits 53and 54, which are integrally formed with the support frame 38 forsupporting the filter assembly 35. In this manner, the vibrationgenerator 40 is supported by the support frame 38 so as to be allowed tovibrate in lateral directions. The elastic bellows 51 and 52 alsofunction as vibration isolator.

Y the outlet 44, the elastic bellow 52 and the conduit 54 2) at its rearend. The end opening 27 communicates with the inlet opening of the body11. The rear end peripheral edge 29 of the dust collecting case 12 isprovided at its bottom with a projection 28 which cooperates and engageswith a hook 29 fixed to the body 11. Another means for connecting thedust collecting case 12 to the body 11 is clamp means 30 at the top ofthe rear end of the dust collecting case 12. Clamp means 30 engages witha complemental member 31 which is formed at the top' of the front end ofthe body.

The body 12 is integrally provided toward its front end with ahorizontally extending inlet fitting 32 adapted to be connected to asuction tubular hose 33 of the welLknownconstruction. The referencenumeral 34 indicates normally closed door or valve means which can onlybe opened when the hose 33 engages with the inlet fitting 32.

Within the dust collecting case 12a filter unit 35 is located betweenthe inlet fitting 32 and the rear end opening 27."The filter unit 35comprises a main filter 36, a prefilter 37 and a support frame 38. Themain v filter is preferably a corrugated filter cloth while theprefilter 37 maybe made of a nylon net or screen having relatively largemeshes. The support frame 38 supports both the main filter and theprefilter, and is detachably mounted within the dust-collecting case 12.Preferably, the prefilter 37 is detachably connected to the supportframe 38.; In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the filter unit 35substantially extends in a direction from the front top to the'rearbottom within the dust collecting case 12, when it is placed therein.

According to the invention, the dust collecting case 12 further includesat least one vibration generator generally indicated by the referencenumeral 40. The vibration generator 40 is more clearly illustrated inFIG. 3 in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. The vibration generator 40 maypreferably comprise. a steel ball 41, a circular passage 42, an inlet 43and an outlet 44 both connected to the circular passage 42. The inlet 43,extends in a tangent direction with respect to the circular passage 42,while the outlet 44 is connected through a central cavity 15 tothecircular passage 42. The vibration generator 40 is engageable with thefilter cloth 36 by the medium of a vibration plate 46. The vibrationplate is formed in a shallow bowl shape adapted to constitutes an outletflow passage of the vibration generator 40.

The combined unit 60 comprising filter means 35, vibration generator 40and the support frame 38 is detachable from the dust collecting case 12as shown in FIG. 2. When the combined unit 60 is fittedinto the dustcollecting case 12, the end opening of the conduit 53 becomes inalignment and sealing contact with a nipple 61 which is formed in thefront head portion of v the case 12.v The reference numeral 62 indicatesa packing material at the top of nipple6l. The nipple 61 has an openingwhich is normally closed by a valve 151 by means of a spring 152. On theother hand, the conduit 53' is provided with a projection 153 (moreclearly shown in FIG. 8) at its front end. When the unit 60 is securedwithin the dust collecting case l2 with the end opening of the conduit53 being in sealing contact with the nipple 61, the projection 153engages the valve 151 to push it back against the force of the spring152 so that the opening 150 maybe maintained in an open position. Thenipple 61 is communicated with the outside of the case through anopening 64 which is formed in the inlet fitting 32. When the hose 33 isinserted to the inlet fitting 32, the opening 64 may communicate withthe inside of. the hose 32 through an opening (not shown) which isformed in the hose so as to become inalignment with theopening 64' ofthe inlet fitting 32. Altem atively, the dust collecting case 12 mayhave another independent inletop ening 164 which always communicates thenipple 61 with the outside of the case 12. v

When the combined unit 60 is placed in its predetermined position withinthe dust collecting case, the rear end peripheral edge 71 of thecombined unit .60 sealingly closes the end opening 27 of the dustcollecting case 12, as shown in FIG. 1. The peripheral edge 71 is madeof a packing material. An end flange 72 supported by the peripheral edgepacking 71 defines an end opening 73 which communicates the down-streamof the filter cloth 36 with the inlet opening 25 of the body 11. I

The end opening of the conduit 54 can be communicated through an elbow81 pivotally carried by a pivot 82 on the front end wall 83 of the body11. The elbow 81 comprises an axially extending portion 81a and aradially extending portion 81b. The end opening of axially extendingportion 81a is always in sealing The radially extending portion 81b ofthe elbow 81 has at its end a vertical opening 84 which has the samediameter as that of the opening 25 of the body 11. The elbow 81 ismanually operable by a knob 85 from the outside. The construction ofmeans'for manipulating the elbow 81 is more clearly shown in FIGS. 4and 1. A vertically extending drive shaft 86 fixed to the knob 85 has asegment bevel gear 87 which engages with a complemental segment bevelgear 88 which is formed on the outside surface of the axially extendingportion 81a of the elbow 81. By turning the knob 85, the elbow 81 isturned about the pivot 82 so that the end opening 84 of the radiallyextending portion 81b may engage and disengage with the opening 25 ofthe body 11. FIGS. 1 and 4 show the state in which the elbow 81 connectsthe conduit 54 with the inlet opening 25 of the body 11. In this statethe end opening 84 of the radially extending portion 81b is engaged withthe opening 25 of the body 11 in a hermetically sealed manner by meansof a packing material 89 inserted therebetween. In FIG. 4, the referencenumeral 90 indicates a spring stretched between a fixed position on thefront wall 83 of the body and the radial portion 81b, of the elbow 81for imparting a return moment to the elbow 81. Stop means(not shown) maybe provided for maintaining the state of engagement of the radialportion of elbow 81 with the opening 25. If the stop means is released,the elbow 81 is turned in a clockwise direction (in FIG. 4) by the forceof the spring so that the opening 25 of the body 11 is freed from theengagement with the elbow 81 and becomes to communicate with the endopening 72 of the unit 60.

From the description in the above it will be understood that themanually operable elbow 81 constitutes change-over means forcommunicating the suction side of the motor fan unit selectively tofilter means and the outlet passage of the vibration generator In FIG. 1thereference numeral 101 indicates a bandle formed at the top of thebody 11 and the reference numerals 102 and 103 indicate wheels forcarrying the dust collecting case 12 and the body 11.

According to the invention, the above mentioned change-over means maypreferably be interconnected with an electrical switch which is insertedin a short circuit for energizing the motor fan unit 11.

The electrical circuit for energizing the motor fan unit 24 isillustrated in FIG. 6. The motor 111 for the fan unit is connected inseries with a relay switch 112. The reference numeral 113 indicates ACpower supply source. The relay switch 112 is normally opened and isclosed only when the second winding of the transformer is energized. Thefirst winding 114 of the transformer 115 is connected in parallel withthe series circuit including the motor 111 and the relay switch 112. Thesecond winding 116 of the transformer assembly 115 is connected toterminals 121, 122 which are fixed to the body 11 at its front topportion as shown in FIG. 5. The terminals 121 and 122 are in con tactwith electrical contacts 123 and 124 which are projected from the dustcollecting case 12 at its top rear portion when the dust collecting case12 is secured to the body 11 as shown in FIG. 1. The contacts 123 and124 are electrically connected through lead wires 125 and electricalcontacts 126 to a remote control switch 127 (FIG. 6) which is mounted onthe handle portion of the hose 33. The electrical contacts 126 areprovided between the inlet fitting 32 and the connecting end of the hose33 so that those contacts 126 are only electrically connected when thehose 33 is secured to the inlet fitting 32. v

A short circuit switch 131 is connected to the opposite terminals of thesecond winding 116 in parallel to the remote control switch 127. Thisshort circuit switch 131 is interconnected with the movement of thechange-over elbow 81 so that only when the elbow 81 is connected withthe inlet opening 25 of the body the switch 131 is closed. In FIG. 5,the reference numeral 132 indicates an actuator for the switch 131. Theactuator 132 is formed as a projection fixed to the axially extendingportion 81a of the elbow 81.

In FIG. 6 the reference numeral indicates a main switch which isprovided in the body 11 for directly energizing the motor 111 withoutoperation of the remote control switch 127.

In case where no remote control switch is utilized, the short circuitswitch 131 may be connected in parallel with the main switch 140, asshown in FIG. 7. The mechanical construction for the switch 131 may bethe same as illustrated in FIG. 5. The operation of the vacuum cleanerconstructed as above in accordance with the present invention is nextexplained in detail. With the dust collecting case 12 being connectedand locked to the body 11, a suction tubular hose 33 being connected tothe inlet fitting 32 and the radial portion 81b of the elbow 81 beingkept apart from the inlet opening 25 of the body, the motor fan unit 24is energized to initiate violent suction'of air into the cleaner foreffecting vacuum cleaning. This energization can be carried out byclosing the remote control switch 127 (FIG. 6) on the handle portion ofthe hose. If the remote control switch 127 is closed, the second winding116 of the transformer is energized to close the relay switch 112,thereby energizing the motor 111. The switches 140 and 131 are kept openwhich could not be trapped by the prefilter 37 of large meshes arefiltered bythis filter cloth from the air before it moves through theopenings 73 and 25 toward the motor fan of the body 11. As soon as theend opening 84 of the elbow 81 becomes in alignment with the inletopening 25 of the body 11, the switch 131 (FIG. 6 or FIG. 7) isautomatically closed by the operation of the actuator 132 (FIG. 5) toenergize the motor fan unit through the short circuit including theswitch 131. During the operation of the motor fan unit 24, suction isintroduced through the opening 64 and/or 164 into the dust collectingcase 12. The suction air passes through the nipple 61, the conduit 53,the bellows 25 and enters tangentially into the circular passage 42 todrive the ball 41 so as to spin around its raceway. The suction air thenleaves the vibration generator 40 through the outlet,44, the bellows52and the conduit 54 and introduced through the elbow 81 and the inletopening into the motor fan unit 24. The spinning movement of the ball 41in the raceway causes continuous vibration which is transmitted to thefilter cloth 36 via thevibration plate 46,- whereby the dust remainingattached to the filter cloth 36" is removed therefrom.

For disposing of the dust collected in the vdust collecting case 12,:themotor fan unit is deenergized and the dust collecting. case 12 isdetached fromthe body 11 by releasingclamp means 30.The hose 33 is alsoremoved from the inlet fitting 32 to close the valve 34. Then, thecombined unit 60 is detached from the case 12. As soon as the combinedunit is detached from the case l2,-the opening 150 is automaticallyclosed by the valve 151. In this manner, the dust is prevented fromdropping through the. opening 150 and the inlet filling 32.. Fineparticles collected between the prefilter 37 and the filter cloth 36 maybe disposed of by removing the prefilter 37 from the support frame.

What we claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner including, in a housing, a motor fan unit, adust-collecting chamber having filter means and vibration generator forimparting vibration to said filter means, an improvement characterizedin that said vibration generator comprises a ball, a circular passagewhose periphery forms a raceway for said ballyan air inlet passageconnected to said circular passage and extending towards a suction inletof said housing, and an air outlet passage connected to said circularpassage and extending towards the suction side of said motor fan unit. 1

2. A vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which each of said inletand outlet passages of said vibration generator includes an extensiblebellows, as a part thereof.

3. A vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which manually operablechange-over means is provided for communicating the suction'side of saidmotor fan unit selectively to said filter means of said dustcollectingchamber and tosaid outlet passage of said vibration generator.

4. Avacuum cleaner as defined in claim 3, in which said change-overmeans is interconnected with an electrical switch which is inserted in ashort circuit for energizing said, motor fan unit. 1

5. A vacuum cleanercomprising a body including a motor fan unit and adust collecting case detachably connected to said body; said dustcollecting case including, filter means, vibration generator forimparting vibration to said filter means and a support frame forsupporting said filter means and vibration generator, said supportfrarnebeing'detachably mounted within said dust collecting case; and vibrationgenerator comprising a ball, a circular passage whose periphery forms araceway for said ball, an air inlet passage connected to said circularpassage and an outletpassage connected to said circular'passage, saidinlet and outlet passages being capable to communicate with a suctioninlet of said dust collecting case and the suction side of said motorfan unit of said body, respectively.

6. A vacuum cleaner comprising a body including a motor fan unit andaidustcollecting case detachably connected to said body; saiddustcollecting case infil i li dnfil lllfiflir 313521 2'1"3358533 l'filifi'f r supporting said filter means and vibration generator, said supportframe being detachably mounted within said dust collecting case; saidvibration generator comprising a ball, a circular passage whoseperiphery forms a raceway for said ball, an air inlet passage connectedto said circular passage and an outlet passage connected tosaid'circular passage, said inletand outlet passages being capable tocommunicate with a suction inlet of said dust collecting case and thesuction side of said fan unit of said body, respectively; said dustcollecting case further including a valve opening engageable with the.end of said inlet passage of said vibration generator, said valveopening being communicated withsaid suction inlet of said dustcollecting case and having a normally closed valve which can only beopened during engagement of said inlet passage of said vibrationgenerator with said valve opening.

1. In a vacuum cleaner including, in a housing, a motor fan unit, a dustcollecting chamber having filter means and vibration generator forimparting vibration to said filter means, an improvement characterizedin that said vibration generator comprises a ball, a circular passagewhose periphery forms a raceway for said ball, an air inlet passageconnected to said circular passage and extending towards a suction inletof said housing, and an air outlet passage connected to said circularpassage and extending towards the suction side of said motor fan unit.2. A vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, in which each of said inletand outlet passages of said vibration generator includes an extensiblebellows as a part thereof.
 3. A vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, inwhich manually operable change-over means is provided for communicatingthe suction side of said motor fan unit selectively to said filter meansof said dust collecting chamber and to said outlet passage of saidvibration generator.
 4. A vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 3, in whichsaid change-over means is interconnected with an electrical switch whichis inserted in a short circuit for energizing said motor fan unit.
 5. Avacuum cleaner comprising a body including a motor fan unit and a dustcollecting case detachably connected to said body; said dust collectingcase including, filter means, vibration generator for impartingvibration to said filter means and a support frame for supporting saidfilter means and vibration generator, said support frame beingdetachably mounted within said dust collecting case; and vibrationgenerator comprising a ball, a circular passage whose periphery forms araceway for said ball, an air inlet passage connected to said circularpassage and an outlet passage connected to said circular passage, saidinlet and outlet passages being capable to communicate with a suctioninlet of said dust collecting case and the suction side of said motorfan unit of said body, respectively.
 6. A vacuum cleaner comprising abody including a motor fan unit and a dust collecting case detachablyconnected to said body; said dust collecting case including, filtermeans, vibration generator for imparting vibration to said filter meansand a support frame for supporting said filter means and vibrationgenerator, said support frame being detachably mounted within said dustcollecting case; said vibration generator comprising a ball, a circularpassage whose periphery forms a raceway for said ball, an air inletpassage connected to said circular passage and an outlet passageconnected to said circular passage, said inlet and outlet passages beingcapable to communicate with a suction inlet of said dust collecting caseand the suction side of said fan unit of said body, respectively; saiddust collecting case further including a valve opening engageable withthe end of said inlet passage of said vibration generator, said valveopening being communicated with said suction inlet of said dustcollecting case and having a normally closed valve which can only beopened during engagement of said inlet passage of said vibrationgenerator with said valve opening.